Diverticulitis symptoms
People of both genders who are over the age of 50 are more at risk of developing diverticulitis symptoms than younger people are. It is important to know what the diverticulitis symptoms are, especially if you are older because an estimated 60% of all Americans who reach the age of 80 will suffer from diverticulitis. The most common symptom associated with diverticulitis is pain in the lower left abdominal area where the large colon is located. However, people of Asian descent can have diverticulitis symptoms that originate in the right side of the abdomen. The diverticulitis symptoms associated with acute diverticulitis include a sudden and severe pain in the abdomen. The pain does not usually start off slowly and then build in intensity. It begins severe sudden pain. Nausea and vomiting can also present when a person has diverticulitis.
Other common diverticulitis symptoms include diarrhea or constipation. A sudden change in the bowel activity in the elderly can be a signal the presence of diverticulitis. People with this disease can also develop an infection in the intestines and have a fever along with it that causes chills. When the colon becomes constricted because of disease they will normally cease because of the narrowing of the left side of the colon and fistulas can begin to form. It is very important to go to doctor for a medical exam the first sign of diverticulitis symptoms.
When the person has this disease a diverticulum can rupture and cause the bacteria from a calling to spread to surrounding tissues if it is ignored. Pus can develop around the inflamed diverticula and eventually lead to an abscess in the pelvis region. On rare occasions this can penetrate into the bladder and cause bladder infections. Any type of inflammation can also lead to a bowel obstruction. Also, if the diverticulum ruptures into the abdominal cavity it causes peritonitis to occur. This is why it is very important to get a correct diagnosis of any abdominal pain that you may be experiencing so that other inflammatory conditions that may arise in the abdominal area can be ruled out.
Many times diverticulitis symptoms are mistaken as simply being abdominal spasms. There are several other conditions that can be mistaken for as well. In fact 30% of patients who complain of diverticulitis symptoms can be misdiagnosed. It is very important to clearly describe to your medical doctor what type of pain after you are experiencing. If you are experiencing a change in your normal bowel movements it is important to tell your doctor about this also. Serious complications can arise from diverticulitis. These complications include bleeding in the colon, colon obstruction, pus in the pelvis or infection the abdominal cavity. A dark red colored or maroon colored bowel movement can indicate blood clots that are caused by bleeding the base of the diverticulum.
Bleeding from the bowels can last for several days or it can be intermittent and occur at different times. If too much blood is lost patient can become dizzy and go into shock and even lose consciousness. Patients who experience such bleeding are usually hospitalized so that they can be monitored. The patient may also be given intravenous fluids during their hospital stay. The patient may also be given an enema to clear the bowels of the undigested food that is causing the pain and discomfort. A blood transfusion may be necessary if there is moderate to severe blood loss. All junk food should be avoided if you have this disease. Changing to a diverticulitis diet can greatly reduce and even eliminate inflammation and infection from occurring.
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